External control of plant growth often is used to improve the health and/or appearance of plants. For example, some plants are attached to fixed objects, such as stakes, as they grow. Plants supported in this manner adjust to the applied constraints and grow in the desired direction. Among other benefits, this technique can be used to promote vertical growth in saplings.
Many types of plant supports are known for attaching portions of plants to support structures. For example, twist ties having a malleable inner element, such as a wire, and an attached outer cover have been used for this purpose. Conventional twist ties, however, do not stretch longitudinally and cannot expand with a plant as it grows. If a conventional twist tie is secured around the trunk of a sapling and is not repositioned as the sampling grows, it eventually will cut into the sapling causing it serious injury. Plant supports that do not expand also tend to damage plants by abrasion during normal movement of the plants, such as movement caused by wind.
Some plant supports have been developed that do allow for expansion and/or movement of the plant portions to which they are attached. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,859 discloses “a plant tie . . . comprising a soft, flexible, elastic loop.” The plant tie disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,859, however, is complicated to install. Such a plant tie is not convenient and is not well suited for operations requiring the efficient cultivation of large numbers of plants, such as nursery and farming operations.